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Movie Review
A Sound of Thunder
By Lee Tistaert Published September 6, 2005
US Release: September 2, 2005
Directed by: Peter Hyams
Starring: Edward Burns , Ben Kingsley , Catherine McCormack , Jemima Rooper
PG-13
Running Time: 103 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $1,891,821
Directed by: Peter Hyams
Starring: Edward Burns , Ben Kingsley , Catherine McCormack , Jemima Rooper
PG-13
Running Time: 103 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $1,891,821
D+
114 of 143
This is one big mess, a total disaster from the studio that brought you Pluto Nash.
Wow. I say again: Wow. It has been a while since I have seen a movie this laughably bad. I know I initially granted the upcoming Serenity with this crass rating, but after several months of thought I have re-considered it as a C- flick (until I see the finished version). I mention that because back in April I had considered the Joss Whedon space-cowboys adventure an early contender for the worst movie of 2005, and A Sound of Thunder has now taken its place.
A Sound of Thunder was delayed so long that it was notorious amongst the online film community (budgeted at $80 million, it was shot in 2002, and might not even make $2 million). This is a flick that almost went straight to video, a release plan that is generally given to the worst of the worst. And even if you weren?t aware of that fun fact before seeing it, this flick has that aftermath written all over it: This is one big mess, a total disaster from the studio that brought you (the $100 million budgeted, similarly delayed) Pluto Nash (D+).
The movie is based on the short story by Ray Bradbury, and it was only a few years ago that I read it for the first time, and I was intrigued. I figured it might make an interesting movie, but it also seemed like a thin concept; filmmakers would have to pad it up with an actual plot (which is a dangerous thing to ask). And the problem with adapting such minimalist material is that you need at least 80 minutes of content, and few storytellers have managed to complete that process without resorting to pointless plot filler; they tend to create useless subplots in order to brand the thing as a movie. And this screen adaptation merely feels like a desperate attempt to put this short story on screen at all costs (literally and figuratively). This movie is just about a dinosaur hunter (Edward Burns) who is sent back to prehistoric times via a time machine, and accidentally alters the future by touching a butterfly. And after having done so, he is sent back in time again to try and get matters back to normal.
It?s easy to watch this movie and wonder where in the hell that $80 million went, as the visual effects are terrible (and I thought Serenity?s were lackluster, oh Jesus do I have perspective now). There are various scenes when you can practically see the blue screen behind the actors, and the sequences of modern-day destruction look as though they?re out of a half-assed video game; there is barely anything that looks remotely real. And considering Sound of Thunder pulls the embarrassing move of ripping off Jurassic Park (B+) at times, which set a benchmark for visual effects, this is one sad effort.
The budget couldn?t have been spent on Ben Kingsley considering he?s not a (mainstream) box office draw, and I doubt it was spent on Edward Burns, who is the year?s top contender so far for best performance by a facial expression (Bill Murray, you are off the hook). I?ve never considered him an ?actor,? (more like someone who just reads the lines he?s given with the same monotonous tone of voice), but this movie proves the man is lucky to have roles.
The movie has no character development and there is no reason to care about anyone whose life gets in the hands of danger. The acting is dreadful (the only decent performance comes from Kingsley, but his physical appearance is ridiculous), and the dialogue makes for a hysterically funny Mystery Science Theater-like experience (it is highly recommended that you watch this with someone who has a good sense of humor). The movie was painful to watch for most of its running time, but ended up being a laugh riot as the story treaded into its third act (I would?ve walked out had its atrocity not been so fun to watch).
The movie was directed by Peter Hyams, who was behind the disastrous edition of The Musketeer (C-), the carnage-heavy End of Days (C), and The Relic. This is not exactly a man with a fine reputation, but A Sound of Thunder is the kind of feature that can ruin a career. There is not one reason anyone should see this unless you?re a fan of movies that take advantage of sound; the dinosaurs made it clear that this theater had some solid bass. A Sound of Thunder is in the league of loud, awful movies like Extreme Ops (D+) and Ghosts of Mars (D+), and proves how much life at the movies can really suck.
A Sound of Thunder was delayed so long that it was notorious amongst the online film community (budgeted at $80 million, it was shot in 2002, and might not even make $2 million). This is a flick that almost went straight to video, a release plan that is generally given to the worst of the worst. And even if you weren?t aware of that fun fact before seeing it, this flick has that aftermath written all over it: This is one big mess, a total disaster from the studio that brought you (the $100 million budgeted, similarly delayed) Pluto Nash (D+).
The movie is based on the short story by Ray Bradbury, and it was only a few years ago that I read it for the first time, and I was intrigued. I figured it might make an interesting movie, but it also seemed like a thin concept; filmmakers would have to pad it up with an actual plot (which is a dangerous thing to ask). And the problem with adapting such minimalist material is that you need at least 80 minutes of content, and few storytellers have managed to complete that process without resorting to pointless plot filler; they tend to create useless subplots in order to brand the thing as a movie. And this screen adaptation merely feels like a desperate attempt to put this short story on screen at all costs (literally and figuratively). This movie is just about a dinosaur hunter (Edward Burns) who is sent back to prehistoric times via a time machine, and accidentally alters the future by touching a butterfly. And after having done so, he is sent back in time again to try and get matters back to normal.
It?s easy to watch this movie and wonder where in the hell that $80 million went, as the visual effects are terrible (and I thought Serenity?s were lackluster, oh Jesus do I have perspective now). There are various scenes when you can practically see the blue screen behind the actors, and the sequences of modern-day destruction look as though they?re out of a half-assed video game; there is barely anything that looks remotely real. And considering Sound of Thunder pulls the embarrassing move of ripping off Jurassic Park (B+) at times, which set a benchmark for visual effects, this is one sad effort.
The budget couldn?t have been spent on Ben Kingsley considering he?s not a (mainstream) box office draw, and I doubt it was spent on Edward Burns, who is the year?s top contender so far for best performance by a facial expression (Bill Murray, you are off the hook). I?ve never considered him an ?actor,? (more like someone who just reads the lines he?s given with the same monotonous tone of voice), but this movie proves the man is lucky to have roles.
The movie has no character development and there is no reason to care about anyone whose life gets in the hands of danger. The acting is dreadful (the only decent performance comes from Kingsley, but his physical appearance is ridiculous), and the dialogue makes for a hysterically funny Mystery Science Theater-like experience (it is highly recommended that you watch this with someone who has a good sense of humor). The movie was painful to watch for most of its running time, but ended up being a laugh riot as the story treaded into its third act (I would?ve walked out had its atrocity not been so fun to watch).
The movie was directed by Peter Hyams, who was behind the disastrous edition of The Musketeer (C-), the carnage-heavy End of Days (C), and The Relic. This is not exactly a man with a fine reputation, but A Sound of Thunder is the kind of feature that can ruin a career. There is not one reason anyone should see this unless you?re a fan of movies that take advantage of sound; the dinosaurs made it clear that this theater had some solid bass. A Sound of Thunder is in the league of loud, awful movies like Extreme Ops (D+) and Ghosts of Mars (D+), and proves how much life at the movies can really suck.
Lee's Grade: D+
Ranked #114 of 143 between Exorcist Prequel (#113) and Aeon Flux (#115) for 2005 movies.
Ranked #114 of 143 between Exorcist Prequel (#113) and Aeon Flux (#115) for 2005 movies.
Lee's Overall Grading: 3025 graded movies
| A | 0.4% | |
| B | 30.0% | |
| C | 61.7% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
